Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 12:20-28

One Place, One People, One LORD: The Centralization of Worship

From the destruction of all Canaanite worship sites (vv. 1-4) through the centralization of all Israel's worship at the one chosen place (vv. 5-12) and the permission of profane slaughter with the blood prohibition (vv. 13-16) to the second cycle repeating the centralization and profane-slaughter provisions (vv. 17-28) and the closing warning against Canaanite inquiry and the addition-subtraction prohibition (vv. 29-32).

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

20When the LORD your God expands your territory as He has promised, and you crave meat and say, “I want to eat meat,” you may eat it whenever you want.

21If the place where the LORD your God chooses to put His Name is too far from you, then you may slaughter any of the herd or flock He has given you, as I have commanded you, and you may eat it within your gates whenever you want.

22Indeed, you may eat it as you would eat a gazelle or deer; both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it.

23Only be sure not to eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat.

24You must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.

25Do not eat it, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the LORD.

26But you are to take your holy things and your vow offerings and go to the place the LORD will choose.

27Present the meat and blood of your burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD your God. The blood of your other sacrifices must be poured out beside the altar of the LORD your God, but you may eat the meat.

28Be careful to obey all these things I command you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the LORD your God.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 20

Original words

Whenכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionthe LORDיְהוָ֨הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֥יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular-אֶֽת־H853Direct object markerexpandsיַרְחִיב֩H7337Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularyour territoryגְּבֽוּלְךָ֮H1366Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularasכַּאֲשֶׁ֣רH834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relativeHe has promisedדִּבֶּר־H1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular-לָךְ֒Preposition | second person masculine singular-כִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionand youנַפְשְׁךָ֖H5315Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularcraveתְאַוֶּ֥הH183Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular. . .לֶאֱכֹ֣לH398Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructmeatבָּשָׂ֑רH1320Noun - masculine singularand sayוְאָמַרְתָּ֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularI want to eatאֹכְלָ֣הH398Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularmeatבָשָׂ֔רH1320Noun - masculine singularyou may eatתֹּאכַ֥לH398Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularitבָּשָֽׂר׃H1320Noun - masculine singularwheneverבְּכָל־H3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructyouנַפְשְׁךָ֖H5315Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularwantאַוַּ֥תH185Noun - feminine singular construct
Verse 21

Original words

Ifכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionthe placeהַמָּק֗וֹםH4725Article | Noun - masculine singularwhereאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶיךָ֮H430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularchoosesיִבְחַ֜רH977Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularto putלָשׂ֣וּםH7760Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructHis Nameשְׁמ֣וֹH8034Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular. . .שָׁם֒H8033Adverbis too farיִרְחַ֨קH7368Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularfrom youמִמְּךָ֜H4480Preposition | second person masculine singularthen you may slaughterוְזָבַחְתָּ֞H2076Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularany of the herdמִבְּקָרְךָ֣H1241Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularor flockוּמִצֹּֽאנְךָ֗H6629Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularHeיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularhas givenנָתַ֤ןH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular-כַּאֲשֶׁ֖רH834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relativeyouלְךָ֔Preposition | second person masculine singularasאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativeI have commanded youצִוִּיתִ֑ךָH6680Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singularand you may eatוְאָֽכַלְתָּ֙H398Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularit within your gatesבִּשְׁעָרֶ֔יךָH8179Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularwheneverבְּכֹ֖לH3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructyouנַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃H5315Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularwantאַוַּ֥תH185Noun - feminine singular construct
Verse 22

Original words

Indeedאַ֗ךְH389Adverbyou may eatיֵאָכֵ֤לH398Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶֽת־H853Direct object markerit asכַּאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Preposition-k | Pronoun - relativeyou would eatתֹּאכְלֶ֑נּוּH398Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singulara gazelleהַצְּבִי֙H6643Article | Noun - masculine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markeror deerהָ֣אַיָּ֔לH354Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .כֵּ֖ןH3651Adverbbothיַחְדָּ֖וH3162Adverbthe ceremonially uncleanהַטָּמֵא֙H2931Article | Adjective - masculine singularand the cleanוְהַטָּה֔וֹרH2889Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine singularmay eat itיֹאכְלֶֽנּוּ׃H398Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Verse 23

Original words

Onlyרַ֣קH7535Adverbbe sureחֲזַ֗קH2388Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularnotלְבִלְתִּי֙H1115Preposition-lto eatאֲכֹ֣לH398Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructthe bloodהַדָּ֔םH1818Article | Noun - masculine singularbecauseכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionthe bloodהַדָּ֖םH1818Article | Noun - masculine singularisה֣וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularthe lifeהַנָּ֑פֶשׁH5315Article | Noun - feminine singularand you must notוְלֹא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particleeatתֹאכַ֥לH398Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularthe lifeהַנֶּ֖פֶשׁH5315Article | Noun - feminine singularwithעִם־H5973Prepositionthe meatהַבָּשָֽׂר׃H1320Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 24

Original words

vvvלֹ֖אH3808Adverb - Negative particleYou must not eat [the blood]תֹּאכְלֶ֑נּוּH398Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singularpourתִּשְׁפְּכֶ֖נּוּH8210Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singularit onעַל־H5921Prepositionthe groundהָאָ֥רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularlike waterכַּמָּֽיִם׃H4325Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 25

Original words

Do notלֹ֖אH3808Adverb - Negative particleeat itתֹּאכְלֶ֑נּוּH398Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine singularso thatלְמַ֨עַןH4616Conjunctionit may go wellיִיטַ֤בH3190Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularwith youלְךָ֙Preposition | second person masculine singularand your childrenוּלְבָנֶ֣יךָH1121Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularafter youאַחֲרֶ֔יךָH310Preposition | second person masculine singularbecauseכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionyou will be doingתַעֲשֶׂ֥הH6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularwhat is rightהַיָּשָׁ֖רH3477Article | Adjective - masculine singularin the eyesבְּעֵינֵ֥יH5869Preposition-b | Noun - cdcof the LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 26

Original words

Butרַ֧קH7535Adverbyou are to takeתִּשָּׂ֣אH5375Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularyour holy thingsקָֽדָשֶׁ֛יךָH6944Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relative-יִהְי֥וּH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .לְךָ֖Preposition | second person masculine singularand your vow offeringsוּנְדָרֶ֑יךָH5088Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularand goוּבָ֔אתָH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe placeהַמָּק֖וֹםH4725Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwill chooseיִבְחַ֥רH977Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 27

Original words

Presentוְעָשִׂ֤יתָH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularthe meatהַבָּשָׂ֣רH1320Article | Noun - masculine singularand bloodוְהַדָּ֔םH1818Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singularof your burnt offeringsעֹלֹתֶ֙יךָ֙H5930Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine singularonעַל־H5921Prepositionthe altarמִזְבַּ֖חH4196Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֑יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularThe bloodוְדַם־H1818Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular constructof your other sacrificesזְבָחֶ֗יךָH2077Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularmust be poured outיִשָּׁפֵךְ֙H8210Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularbesideעַל־H5921Prepositionthe altarמִזְבַּח֙H4196Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֣הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֔יךָH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularbut you may eatתֹּאכֵֽל׃H398Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularthe meatוְהַבָּשָׂ֖רH1320Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 28

Original words

Be carefulשְׁמֹ֣רH8104Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularto obeyוְשָׁמַעְתָּ֗H8085Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular-אֵ֚תH853Direct object markerallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructtheseהָאֵ֔לֶּהH428Article | Pronoun - common plural-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativethingsהַדְּבָרִ֣יםH1697Article | Noun - masculine pluralIאָנֹכִ֖יH595Pronoun - first person common singularcommand youמְצַוֶּ֑ךָּH6680Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularso thatלְמַעַן֩H4616Conjunctionit may always go wellיִיטַ֨בH3190Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .עַד־H5704Preposition. . .עוֹלָ֔םH5769Noun - masculine singularwith youלְךָ֜Preposition | second person masculine singularand your childrenוּלְבָנֶ֤יךָH1121Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singularafter youאַחֲרֶ֙יךָ֙H310Preposition | second person masculine singularbecauseכִּ֤יH3588Conjunctionyou will be doingתַעֲשֶׂה֙H6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularwhat is goodהַטּ֣וֹבH2896Article | Adjective - masculine singularand rightוְהַיָּשָׁ֔רH3477Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine singularin the eyesבְּעֵינֵ֖יH5869Preposition-b | Noun - cdcof the LORDיְהוָ֥הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃סH430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.